REVEALED: First look at Leaving Neverland documentary shows Michael Jackson posing with the two young boys who now say they were raped by the King of Pop for years

The first images from the upcoming documentary Leaving Neverland appeared on Instagram on Wednesday

There were five images in total, including shots of the two Michael Jackson accusers featured in the documentary, Wade Robson and James Safechuck

Two of the images also show Safechuck and Robson around the time that they claim to have been raped by the King of Pop

Robson met Jackson when he was 5 after entering a dance competition in Australia, while Safe chuck was 9 when he met the pop star at a Pepsi shoot

The family of Michael Jackson have denounced the upcoming documentary, which will air on HBO in the US and Channel 4 in the UK

'[W]e can't just stand by while this public lynching goes on.... Michael is not here to defend himself,' read the statement in part

The first images from the controversial Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland have emerged online, one week after the film's much talked about premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

Among the five images, which were shared on Instagram along with the film's title card, are two that show the King of Pop with the young men who claim they were raped for years by Jackson at his remote Rancho Mirage compound.

There are also two images of those two men, James Safechuck and Wade Robson, from the interviews they granted to filmmaker Dan Reed when approached to participate in the documentary.

Robson was 5 when he met Jackson after entering a nation-wide dance contest in his native Australia where competitors each put on a performance with some of the King of Pop's signature moves

Two years later, Jackson invited Robson to visit Nverland during a trip to the United States, and then convnced the family to stay in the country.

The sexual assaults began shortly after claims Robson, who was 7 at the time.

Safechuck was 9 whe he met Jackson on the set of a Pepsi commercial, and soon after was invited to join the singer on his Bad tour.

He alleges that Jackson sexually abused him throughout the tour.

Never before seen: The first images from the upcoming documentary Leaving Neverland appeared on Instagram on Wednesday (James Safechuck at the age of 10 and Michael Jackson)

Special friend: There were five images in total, including shots of the two Michael Jackson accusers featured in the documentary, Wade Robson and James Safechuck (above in te documentary)

Lies: The family of Michael Jackson have denounced the upcoming documentary, which will air on HBO in the US and Channel 4 in the UK (Jackson above in an image from Leaving Neverland)

The family of Michael Jackson issued a rare public statement last week after Leaving Neverland screened for audiences at the Sundance Film Festival.

'Michael always turned the other cheek, and we have always turned the other cheek when people have gone after members of our family - that is the Jackson way,' read the statement.

'But we can't just stand by while this public lynching goes on... Michael is not here to defend himself, otherwise these allegations would not have been made.'

They were not the only ones jumping to Jackson's defense either, with a former 'special friend' of the singer also dismissing the documentary.

'So people are getting their facts from a movie now? I wonder how they feel about the documentary showing the great alien invasion of ‘96. I think it was called Independence Day,' wrote Brett Barnes.

Barnes was photographed with the King of Pop back in 1992 at Paris Disneyland, and said that Jackson never assaulted him during their subsequent tour around the world.

Jackson's family started speaking out long before the premiere, going after HBO for picking up the documentary and Sundance for screening the feature.

Jackson's nephew Taj, whose father is Tito, voiced his disgust on Twitter.

'To all the sponsors of @Sundance. I suggest you do your own homework on Wade Robson and James Safechuck,' read one of the tweets.

'By supporting their lies, you are now part of this and we will remember that when everything implodes. You can't plead ignorance anymore.'

He also wrote: 'I'm sure there are some incredible films that will be premiering and shown at the festival. Films that people put their hard earned money and life into. But @Sundance is jeopardizing these films to accommodate, promote, and showcase a film that stars two proven scam artists.'

Jackson's official account also shared a tweet aimed at shaming HBO which read: 'In 1992, Michael gave HBO their highest rated special ever. Now, to repay him they give a voice to admitted liars. #StopLeavingNeverlandNOW.'

That was a reference to Jackson's first ever televised concert, which aired on the network in October of 1992 after being filmed in Bucharest.

The special smashed the pay cable provider's previews record, scoring a 21.4 rating and 34 share in the approximately 17.5 million homes with subscriptions.

No parentrs: Two of the images also show Safechuck and Robson around the time that they claim to have been raped by the King of Pop (Jason alone with a 7-year-old Robson in Las Vegas)

Difficult memories: Robson met Jackson when he was 5 after entering a dance competition in Australia, while Safe chuck was 9 when he met the pop star at a Pepsi shoot

Expose: '[W]e can't just stand by while this public lynching goes on.... Michael is not here to defend himself,' read a statement from jackson's family in part (film title card above)

Robson is known to many as the man who reportedly came between Britney Spearsand Justin Timberlake, and inspired Timberlake to write the break-up anthem Cry Me A River.

The Australian-born dancer, 36, previously filed a lawsuit against Jackson's estate in 2016 asking for $1.5 billion in damages.

In his complaint, Robson claimed that he was raped by the King of Pop for seven years, starting when he was seven and ending when he was 14.

That suit was eventually tossed, with the judge ruling that the singer's estate could not be held responsible for the allegations being made by Robson.

The court made no comments in the validity of the lawsuit, but Jackson's family was very vocal about the fact that Robson had testified on the singer's behalf at his 2005 trial.

Fans of Jackson and his family were shocked when they learned about the filing given that Robson had been a crucial witness in Jackson's acquittal on similar charges back in 2005.

At that trial he testified under oath that Jackson had never once touched him inappropriately or abused him during their time together.

Robson responded to the criticism by stating: 'I did not believe that I was forced. I believed that I was a consenting participant in the sexual acts.'

REVEALED: First look at Leaving Neverland documentary shows Michael Jackson posing with the two young boys who now say they were raped by the King of Pop for years
Reviewed by free heip
on
January 31, 2019
Rating: 5